5 comments about The Long Road of War: A Marine's Story of Pacific Combat.

1. In my haste I incorrectly wrote Saipan....I meant to write Peleliu



2. In my haste I incorrectly wrote Saipan....I meant to write Peleliu



3. This was a book that I could absolutely not put down. Mr. Johnston's description of his transition from a Midwest teenager into a battle hardened, front line Marine is told with a grim honesty that is seldom found in books about war. This book does away with any glorification or self-promotion and gives you the tragic, ugly truth about the war in the South Pacific.



4. "The Long Road of War" is a wonderfully-written, highly-emotional story of Marine Corps combat from the "flat-trajectory" soldier's perspective. Johnston shares his own personal horrific views of World War II Pacfic combat. With stirring text, he shows the sudden transformation from Nebraska teenager to Green recruit to hardened veteran. This book is an excellent addition to any historian's bookshelf, once they can find the time to put it down.



5. James Johnston gave a vivid, poignant and heroic account of his life with the Marines fighting in the Pacific during World War II. It was fascinating to read how it life was for the Marines in the Pacific as like he said, the media tended to focus on the European theater and thought of the Pacific theater as "easy."

   Using letters that he wrote home, Johnston managed to add a personal touch to his account. It was interesting to get a glimpse on how he felt emotionally, the friendship that was formed between the soldiers and how a lot of times, soldiers are fighting as hard as they did, for their friends because they did not want to let their them down. When Johnston was the section leader, he was able to show the burden of responsibilities as you were not just in charge of your life but of others too.
   Lastly, how he was disappointed with the Marines. He found flaws with the system but at the same time, it was very much part of him.

No comments about King Cole: The Biography of a WW2 Prisoner of War and His Sweetheart.

No comments about An Englishman in the Russian Ranks.

3 comments about Surviving Bataan And Beyond: Colonel Irvin Alexander's Odyssey As A Japanese Prisoner Of War (Stackpole Military History Series).

1. I cannot of course write a review of this book yet as I do not have a copy. I do have the original manuscript and I will give you my opinions after I read the book. I am his daughter in law and the mother of his four grandchildren.

   Janet Alexander 4910 Meadowlark ln. DICKINSON tX, 77539




2. This was one of the best books on the subject of the Bataan death March and Philippine Invasion that I've read. Col. Alexander's personal account brings the events upfront and real to the reader. You truly feel part of the Col.'s ordeal. I reccomend it highly.



3. The editing was sloppy with reference numbers wrong. He irritatingly keeps using the word `object' when he means of course `abject' Annoying to have to keep flipping to the back of the book which is composed of one third references.
   However bearing he was an amateur I thought it was an interesting book and yes well worth a read of a first hand account of a quite dreadful experience.

5 comments about Fly Fast...Sin Boldly.

1. A great book from one of the coolest guys I know!!
   It is a "must" for anybody, who has something to do with aviation.
   I would appreciate it, when this book will be continues published.



2. A book that once you pick up you can't put down. A wonderful insight into Aviation and the adventures of a truly remarkable man.



3. Owning and flying a WW II P-38 Lightning at age 17 is just one of the many episodes of his life that Bill Lear vividly brings back to life in this autobiography of his life. His knowledge of all aspects of aviation, his insight into life and relationships, combined with his great sense of humor, make this a book that is hard to put down once you start reading it. The only thing better than reading about his experiences is to hear him tell about some of them in person and I feel fortunate to have been able to experience that.

   Non aviation enthusiasts will enjoy this book as well as aviation enthusiasts. It is a great gift idea and everyone of our friends who have read it have enjoyed it.




4. A friend loaned me the book. Having been in the aviation field all my life I found the book to be very entertaining. If you are merely an aviation Buff or involved, like I am, you will relate to much of the story. It's a fast read with hilarious anecdotes.



5. Normally Bill Lear Jr. is described in books about his famous father THE Bill Lear (Learjet) as somewhat a playboy who crashed a lot of planes. Perhaps this is the curse of having a famous father? Bill Lear Jr. has his own say here and comes across a bit of an a@#hole but he did fly a lot of high-performance aircraft, starting from an early age. His experiences doing the early air shows and air races are worth reading about. It was a different time when business deals were a bit loose and so I will give Bill Jr. the benefit of the doubt. Even his military experience is notable. Later in his career he seems to have become a successful aircraft and avionics salesman. Like his father, he had problems/opportunities with women and I lost count after wife #3. I find it a bit strange that he writes very little of his relationships with his children. All in all, a good read about a pilot with opportunity and balls.

No comments about From Pilgrimage to Promise: Civil War Heritage and the Landis Boys of Logansport, Indiana.

No comments about Adolf Hitler - Nazi Fuhrer (Biography).

5 comments about Next of Kin: A Brother's Journey to Wartime Vietnam.

1. I am a woman in my early 40's and don't usually read books on war or enjoy hearing about war, but I couldn't put this book down. It was written so well that I couldn't wait to find out what happened next. It begins with young Tom Reilly, losing both of his parents and how his brother, Ron, was a constant in his life. Tom, at the age of 19, goes to Vietnam to find out the truth about his brother's death and his "adventure" over there. Tom has written a wonderful, loving dedication to his brother that will touch each and every person that reads this story. It doesn't matter if you are a man or woman, young or old, this is a book you'll want to read. You'll have such a good feeling when you finish.



2. Just a great story about the caring relationship between two brothers, about love and commitment, set in the era of Vietnam.

   An adventure that covers half the world by an 18 year old from the midwest who lost his brother. He had to know what happen and it was clear, it was not war reltated.

   This was a great read, a story that was hard to put down at night and when the book was finished, I felt like I lost a
   friend.




3. What a great story. What a dedication to a brother. we all could learn from this man. This is what family is all about. I highly recomend this read to everyone.



4. The book is outstanding. I had my daughter pick me up a signed copy because the author lived in my town and I have always been interested in Vietnam as it was from my era.
   I had no idea that I would be so enthralled from the very first page. I feel like I know the whole family and recognized all the places that the author speaks of. The pain and courage of both of the brothers reached out from the pages into my heart.
   This book was so great I hated to have it end.



5. "Next of Kin" is a remarkable first-person memoir that reads like a novel. Tom Reilly's story will take your breath away, whether or not you accept all the details. This is not another war story that revisits battles and the soldiers who fought them. Instead, this is a coming-of-age story that is catalyzed (but not defined) by the Vietnam War. Thanks to clean, straighforward writing, Reilly's story is a breeze to read. Critical readers may wish to see additional corroboration or evidence of this harrowing journey. The more casual reader will take it at face value and may appreciate the brotherly bond that made this story possible. May we all be so fortunate to experience such devotion.

No comments about Lieutenant Owen William Steele of the Newfoundland Regiment: Diary and Letters.

5 comments about ONCE I HAD A COMRADE: Karl Roth and the Combat History of the 36th Panzer Regiment 1939-45.

1. Author tells the story of his heroic father-in-law whom he never met in person. This is a quick read with strong historical research. Great photographic journaling. The personal interest is compelling. Gripping, what's going to happen next combat action. By the end of the book you feel that Karl Roth is a close friend. Authors personal insights are of note. Must read!!



2. I just received the book yesterday so I wanted to update my previous review. I am working on a similar biography for an officer from a sister regiment so I am very familiar with the topics presented in this book. I will write a final review once I am finished reading it.
   
   Overall, this is a good bio of a panzer soldier and an overview of the unit in which he served. The author has put in a lot of effort to provide background to the subject and to provide a coherent timeline for the events in this soldier's life. The photo material and graphics are good. The book is well put together physically.
   
   I only gave it 4 out of 5 stars because although the author has done a fine job, I think there are some weak spots in the editing and the sourcing. The book would have been well served to have been proofread to clean up some odd uses of English and catch some German errors - like translating fortress as "Berg" instead of "Burg." The quoted sources tend to be generic secondary sources like Time-Life books rather than the archival materials which the author even mentions that he had access to.
   
   Don't let the weak points deter you from buying this book.



3. This is an excellent historical account of the author's father-in-law (Karl Roth) in a German Panzer division during World War 2. The author amassed an extraordinary amount of data on the military activities, and on some of the personnel associated with Karl Roth, who comes across as a decent person caught up in circumstances over which he had no control. He had to serve in the military and suffer the consequences of the German defeat. The author is commended for adhering to historical detail with virtually no mention of the politics of the time, other than a few brief references noting Hitler and Goering bungling the military operations, which contributed to the German defeat, particularly in Russia. A highlight of the book, is the description of the battle of Stalingrad that started the disintergration of the German army. The book, desspite all of its detail, is easy reading; its extensive bibliography and footnotes make it a superb resource for anyone interested in World War 2, especially the eastern front. It would have been even better had the many photographs and maps been larger.
   
   Elliott Lesser



4. R.W. Byrd's ONCE I HAD A COMRADE: KARL ROTH AND THE COMBAT HISTORY OF THE 36TH PANZER REGIMENT 1939-45 tells of the author's German father-in-law Karl Roth, who grew up in the 1930s, and of his regiment. His eyewitness participation in campaigns in Poland in 1939, France in 1940 and Yugoslavia in 1941 before serving at the Eastern Front charts a division under siege and a fighter who saw much of the war's many battles. A vivid memoir of Karl Roth and his war encounters.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



5. This is an average book on Panzer Regiment 36. Though the author also claims this book is about Karl Roth, a maintenance NCO in the regiment's tank recovery section, the pages contain little information on this NCO other than brief accounts of his family life and snippets of information from former comrades who remember little about the man, except that he was a competent leader and a solid soldier. If the book had contained more information about German tank recovery techniques and equipment, it would have rated 4 stars. The use of more primary source material, especially corps, army, and army group war diaries might have boosted it to five stars. I do commend the author for using the war diary of the 14th Panzer Division as a primary source.